SoCon football preseason all-conference team, poll announced

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mercer senior wide receiver/return specialist Brayden Smith has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Furman redshirt junior defensive end Joshua Stoneking has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's 10 head coaches. The coaches picked the Bears to win the SoCon.

The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference first and second teams and were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes or teams in the voting process. Due to ties in the voting, the second team includes an additional offensive lineman and long snapper.

Smith was voted onto the all-conference teams following the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Last week, Smith was one of the 30 players named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List.

The senior played and started 12 games last season for the Bears as Mercer went 9-3 and 8-0 in conference games last season. Smith accounted for 1,267 all-purpose yards, leading the team in return yards and finishing second in receiving yards. The native of Macon, Georgia, had seven games in 2025 where he accounted for more than 100 yards.

Stoneking had a stellar season in 2025, landing on seven different All-American squads which is a record for the program. The product of Raleigh, North Carolina, was a first-team all-conference selection and was the runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

A three-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Week last season, Stoneking completed his 2025 campaign leading the nation in sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (23.0). Stoneking, who was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List last week, recorded two or more sacks in a game five times a year ago.

Mercer completed the 2025 season earning the No. 6 seed in the FCS Championship. The Bears collected 76 points and six first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. The Bears placed six players on the preseason first-team all-conference. Tennessee Tech, who went a perfect 8-0 in the Big South/OVC last season, came in second in the preseason poll with 70 points and three first-place nods. The Golden Eagles had four players voted to the preseason all-conference second team.

ETSU collected 61 points and the final first place vote in the preseason poll. The Bucs had a league- best nine selections to the preseason teams. Western Carolina finished in fourth with 58 points and three selections to the all-conference squads.

Chattanooga (48) and Furman (46) follow in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the preseason poll. The Mocs placed seven players on the preseason team, while the Paladins had eight picks.

Wofford is seventh in the preseason poll with 36 points. The Terriers logged six preseason all-conference selections. Samford came in eighth with 23 points and four all-conference picks.

The Citadel was in ninth with 22 points and three first-team selections. VMI rounded out the poll with 10 points and four preseason all-conference selections.

The SoCon's 2026 season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 27, with Furman hosting Anderson, and Chattanooga traveling to West Georgia. The rest of the league will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 29.

2026 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll

Team (1st-place votes)     Total

1. Mercer (6)                        76

2. Tennessee Tech (3)       70

3. ETSU (1)                         61

4. Western Carolina            58

5. Chattanooga                   48

6. Furman                            46

7. Wofford                            36

8. Samford                           23

9. The Citadel                      22

10. VMI                                10

2026 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Brayden Smith, WR/RS, Mercer

Defensive Player of the Year: Joshua Stoneking, DL, Furman

First team offense

QB          Quentin Hayes, The Citadel

RB          Jason Albritton, ETSU

RB          Leo Boehling, VMI

OL          Tyler Heggins-Hill, The Citadel

OL          Will McCraw, ETSU

OL          Brody Balliew, Mercer

OL          Tyler Murray, Mercer

OL          Aidan Donald, Chattanooga

TE          Charlie Browder, ETSU

WR         Brayden Smith, Mercer

WR         Preston Bird, Samford

First team defense

DL          Brenden LeBlanc, ETSU

DL          Joshua Stoneking, Furman

DL          Kobe McInnis, Mercer

DL          Orlando Daniels, Chattanooga

LB           Raleigh Herbert, Furman

LB           Jyarius Carter, Mercer

LB           Zion Rutledge, Chattanooga

DB          Mike Jenkins, ETSU

DB          Kam Baah-Slay, Chattanooga

DB          Ken Moore Jr, Western Carolina

DB          Eli Campbell, Wofford

First team specialists

PK          Ewan Johnson, ETSU

P             Ben Shrewsbury, VMI

LS           Tommy DiLiegro, The Citadel

RS          Brayden Smith, Mercer

Second team offense

QB          Jax Leatherwood, Tennessee Tech

RB          Marcus Harris, Tennessee Tech

RB          Gerald Modest, Wofford

OL          Chris Luna, Furman

OL          Noah Watts, Samford

OL          Eric Nunez, Tennessee Tech

OL          Bryce Burnett, VMI

OL          Zach Watson, Western Carolina

OL          Reggie Houston, Wofford

TE          Gerard Grewe, Tennessee Tech

WR         Josh Williams, Chattanooga

WR         AJ Colombo, Western Carolina

Second team defense

DL          Demetrius Baldwin, Furman

DL          Elihu Lipscomb, Furman

DL          Ky Tayo, Chattanooga

DL          Ramon McCollough, Wofford

LB           Dre Delinois, ETSU

LB           Isaiah Grevious, VMI

LB           Wyatt Ward, Wofford

DB          Jivon Oggs, ETSU

DB          AK Burrell, Furman

DB          Josh Tarver, Furman

DB          Jalen Nelson, Samford

Second team specialists

PK          Sam Spence, Wofford

P             Heath Jehu, Chattanooga

LS           Brock Winstead, ETSU

LS           Aidan Barr, Samford

RS          Caleb Easterling, Furman

NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.